Tattoo
by ShelbyCole
Summary: Songfic. Tattoo by Jordan Sparks. Sakura finally has to let Sasuke's image fade from her memory, and Kakashi is just the sensei to help her. KakaSaku drabble. Oneshot.


Tattoo

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. That belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and if I owned them, the pairings__ would be completely different; Which means they'__re probably better off being owned by Masashi Kishimoto. _

_I do not own the song "Tattoo" by Jordan Sparks. I'm not sure who owns it, but it'__s probably Jordan Sparks or someone that works with her. Thanks._

Okay, this is my first Naruto fic on this site, so I decided to make a little one-shot to see if anyone liked my writing. If they did, I'd continue with my other stories. So I'm going to try my hand at something completely new-KakaSaku. If you don't like it, don't read it. Reviews are appreciated, as well as CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Thanx!

_No matter what you say about love_

_I keep coming back for more_

_Keep my head in the fire, _

_Sooner or later,_

_I get what I'__m asking for_

Sasuke had gone. Chouji was dead. Naruto was gone to train with Jariaya. The only thing she had left was her sensei, who seemed distant sometimes; well, a lot of the time. But now, as everything crumbled between the cherry blossom's hands, she couldn't afford to lose him too. He trained her, yes, but it seemed as though his mind was clouded in a haze, and she just couldn't run through it and find him. She continued to fight, she continued to fight solely to see his gaze come from the haze, if only for a moment, when her knee was about to collide with his face.

_No matter what you say about life,_

_I learn every time I bleed_

_If truth is a stranger, _

_My soul is in danger,_

_I gotta let my spirit be free_

_To admit that I'__m wrong and then change my mind_

_I'm sorry, but, I'__ve got to be strong and leave you behind_

She was right. That night, as she lie in her bed, feeling the sting of the new-forming bruises on her knee from the training, she realized that as well. Sasuke was gone, and he wasn't coming back any time soon. She had to let him go. She'd bled enough, she knew by now. And as she drifted off to sleep, that thought echoed in her mind like bells. He would always be her friend, her first crush, love, whatever word suited the moment, but even if he came back, it wouldn't be the same. She had to be strong and leave him behind. She left him behind that night, and that morning, she was back, stronger than ever, towards Kakashi's head.

_I can'__t waste time so give me a moment,_

_I realize, nothing'__s broken_

_Don__'__t need to worry __'__bout _

_Everything I'__ve done_

_Live Every Second Like It was my last one_

After working for weeks, so hard, so desperately, furiously hard, she'd won. Kakashi was out of the haze, at least for now. He smiled down at her with renewed sight and saw what it was that he'd missed while he was training Sasuke. But he noticed the change as well; she was improving every day. She had something to fight for, he knew. She had a goal. But what was it? To bring Sasuke back? But, she didn't seem…she didn't have that look in her eyes anymore. She was focused solely on him, and though good for her training, he wondered if she was alright.

_Don'__t look back got__ a new direction,_

_Loved you once, _

_Needed protection_

_You'__re still a part of _

_Everything I do, you'__re on my heart just like a tattoo_

_Just like a tattoo, I'__ll always have you_

"Sakura, you seem very…concentrated, on your training lately. Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, knowing that it was bound to come once he finally came out of the fog and saw exactly how she'd grown.

"No, Sensei, nothing's wrong," she replied monotonously as another kick rounded out around his head. He dodged it.

"Then what is it that you're working for, Sakura?"

She looked at him with a confused, puppy dog expression, "What do you mean, Kaka-sensei?"

_Kaka-sensei, what was that?_

She stood back solidly on both feet and walked back up to him. He looked down at her and at those emerald green orbs that seemed to attract his attention every time he looked at her. What was it about those eyes? She snapped her fingers in front of his face, "Kaka-sensei? Are you okay?"

He shook his head, "Yes, of course, Sakura. That's enough training for today, don't you think?"

She looked downcast, at her feet, "Sure, Sensei; tomorrow then?"

He felt his heart tighten against his chest. What was this? What was this feeling? It was almost as though…no, that just couldn't happen.

_I'm sick of playing all of these games _

_It's not about taking ties,_

_When I look in the mirror, doesn't deliver_

_It hurt enough to think that I could stop, and_

_Admit that I'm wrong and then change my mind_

_Sorry, but I have to be strong and leave you behind _

When she looked in the mirror that night, she thought about Sasuke, and Kakashi. They were so alike, but…so different. Sasuke would never come back, and if he did, she knew she wouldn't be able to say that she loved him ever again. But Kakashi…he was the only solid thing still left there for her, but even then, he was always off somewhere in his head, never really paying attention. She had to leave Sasuke behind, but, Kakashi still cared about her, right? She took that thought to heart that night as she crawled under the covers that night and fell asleep. Unbeknownst to her, Kakashi was dreaming about her that night as well.

Why did she call him Kaka-sensei? Why was she so strong now? Had Tsunade really had that much of an effect on her? What had happened to her during that time span that had changed her and made her a…a woman? But, she had always loved Sasuke. Had that made her what she is? Is she angry? Is she hurt? What's in her head now? Her…beautiful eyes….

Were his last thought before sleep overcame him.

_I can't waste time so give me a moment, _

_I realize, nothing's broken, _

_No need to worry 'bout everything I've done_

_Live every second like it was my last one_

_Don't look back got__ a new direction_

_I loved you once, needed protection_

_You're still a part of everything I do_

_You're on my heart just like a tattoo, _

_Just like a tattoo, I'll always have you_

He woke up the next morning thinking about what she was doing…thinking, more like it. His mind kept wandering involuntarily to the kunoichi's strange focused determination lately, and had begun to go so far as to think that Naruto had used a transformation jutsu and pretended to be her. But he knew that couldn't be true; those eyes were too pure to be pulling something on him. He was worried nonetheless, though, that she was focusing on fighting to keep her mind off something else. When he got to the training grounds, late, as usual, he almost thought he'd gone deaf. He didn't hear Sakura's screeching voice as she yelled at him for being late, didn't see her fist in his face , or the vein on her forehead pop out in rage at him for the umpteenth time this month. Instead, he saw Sakura sitting under a tree, fiddling with a blade of grass. And that face…she was sad. That thread in his heart twitched again. It was the only thing that kept his heart from breaking into a thousand pieces, and it was threatening to break. He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets before walking over to her.

"Sorry I'm late, I got lost on the road of life."

"Heh…Feels like I'm lost on that same road, Sensei."

_If I live every moment_

_Won't change any moment_

_Still a part of me and you_

_I will never regret you _

_Still the memory of you_

_Marks everything I do_

He raised his eyebrow and sat down on the grass beside her.

"Sakura, what's going on his that head of yours, ne?"

She leaned back against the tree, looking up at the clouds floating by at a slow, easy motion, "I guess, I'm just letting go, Sensei. There's a lot I have to let go of."

"Sasuke?" he dared to ask.

"He's a part of it. Kaka-sensei, I know you don't really care about hearing any of my business…"

"No, continue, Sakura-chan, please."

_Please, what was that?_

She sighed, "He's not coming back, Sensei. Sasuke's gone. And even if he were to ever come back, it wouldn't be the same. He's not…I'm not in love with him anymore. At least, that's what my heart says. I've been trying to convince my head of it too. I'm letting him go. But…he's still a part of me, he's got a place on my heart that no one can take. He will still be called my first love, but…he won't be my every waking thought anymore. More like…just a memory….or a tattoo."

"A tattoo?" Kakashi questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"A tattoo takes only a little while to make on your skin, but it never goes away. It can sometimes fade, but it's still there, and it's a constant reminder of why you got the tattoo. Just like the memory of him will never go away, and the pictures, the memories, will always be there, reminding me of why I loved him for so long. But I won't regret him, like I'd regret a tattoo."

She smiled up at the trees, a bittersweet, but unwavering smile. Those bright eyes were burning with tears, but she wouldn't let them fall. She was too strong for that. And it was too late to go back to tears now. Kakashi hesitantly brought his hand up to her face and stroked her cheek with his index finger. She took his hand from her face and held it tight. It was time to let Sasuke go, for the last and final time, for both of them.

_Don't waste time just give me the moment_

_I realize, nothing's broken,_

_No need to worry 'bout everything I've done_

_Lived every second like it was my last one, _

_Don't look back got a new direction_

_Loved you once, needed protection,_

_You're still a part of everything I do,_

_You're on my heart, just like a tattoo_

And as the time faded, she kept hold of his hand, and never let go. He was the one she wasn't ready to let go of. But as for Sasuke, he was forever gone from sight, never from mind. He kept looking into those bright green eyes, looking for any pain, any sorrow, anything bad that he could even try to make go away. But as time progressed, he saw less and less of that pain, and more of her eyes, bright, brilliant, and happy, and that's what mattered to him. She had finally let him go.

_Don't waste time so give me the moment_

_I realize, nothing's broken_

_No need to worry 'bout everything I've done,_

_Lived every second like it was my last one,_

_Don't look back got a new direction,_

_Loved you once, needed protection_

_You're still a part of everything I do,_

_You're on my heart just like a tattoo._

_Just like a tattoo, I'll always have_

_ You_

It's more of a drabble, I know, but it was an idea I couldn't get out of my head. Reviews are greatly appreciated!

**ShelbyCole**


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